Deadly Relations (3 page)

Julie and Fred Thomas, who lived about four blocks from her, stood on her front porch, both looking as though they hadn’t slept all night.

“
Where’s your dad?” Fred demanded, looking past her into the house.

“
Why are you looking for my dad?”

“
He’s the fucking sheriff, isn’t he?” Fred was wide-eyed and his face red with fear or anger or a mixture of the two. “He’s not answering his door.”

Jennifer knew her parents had gone away for a fishing trip, but said nothing. It was none of Fred Thomas’s business. Besides, she was a freaking detective. Why had it not occurred to Fred that she might be able help him?

“
Fred, stop it. Calm down,” Julie pleaded. She gently pulled on her husband’s arm.

“
What’s going on? Why are you two so upset?” Jennifer had known the couple for years and they were two of the happiest people she knew. Whatever had them this upset had to be serious. “Come in.” She showed them to the living room where they sat on her sofa. Jennifer sat on an easy chair close by.

Fred scrubbed his hands over his face. “It’s Catherine. She didn’t come home last night.”

“
Well, maybe she had a good reason. Maybe...” Jennifer began. She almost suggested that Catherine had probably stayed the night with Nicholas. They’d been seeing each other for at least a year. She stopped herself. Fred and Julie Thomas were pillars in the Methodist Church. Catherine may have hidden their relationship from them.

“
No, it’s not like that. She calls. She
always
calls. That damn cell phone is plastered to her like super glue.”

“
Could she be with Nicholas?”

“
Jennifer, we know when she stays the night with Nicholas. She calls so we don’t worry. Something is wrong, I tell you. I can feel it. A mother knows.” Julie sank further into the sofa, giving up on composure, and sobbed into her hands. Fred slipped his arms around her shoulders.

“
Okay, let’s stay calm and talk about when you last saw Catherine.”

“
I saw her early last evening. She was going for a run.” Fred began. “I remember seeing her standing by the small table we have near the front door. She was putting her keys and cell phone into her pocket. She turned and smiled at me, and then she left. I should have stopped her.”

“
Honey, how could you have known to do that? Stop beating yourself up.” Julie scooted closer to Fred and held his hand. They both looked small and frightened. “We’re both thinking worst case scenario and we need to stop.”

“
We want to report Catherine missing,” stated Fred. “What do we need to do?”

Jennifer grabbed her coat and keys. “You need to complete an official missing person document at the sheriff’s office. Come with me.”

<><><>

Later, a
t the sheriff’s office, Jennifer peered through the one-way glass as Blake Stone talked with Fred and Julie Thomas in the interview room. Blake was lead detective on call, so if this turned into a missing person case, it was his.

“
When was the last time you saw Catherine?” Blake looked directly at Fred when he asked the question. Fred seemed angry and hostile as he sat in the chair across the table from him.

“
Damn it all, I just gave Jennifer Brennan that information. We’re wasting valuable time!” Fred shouted, pounding his fist on the table.

“
Fred, I need for you to answer the question so that we can file an official missing person report so we can find your daughter.” Blake’s voice was low in an effort to calm Fred.

Julie put her hand over Fred’s and squeezed. “Honey, answer Detective Stone’s questions.”

Tiredly, Fred sighed and said, “I saw Catherine around dinner time last night, so it must have been around five o’clock. That’s the time my wife always has dinner ready. I was coming down the stairs when I saw Catherine standing near a small table we have near the front door. We have a bowl on the table where we put our keys when we come in the house. Anyway, I noticed Catherine, dressed in running clothes, so I surmised she was going for a run. She ran whenever she could to stay in shape.”

Blake held up his index finger to interrupt and asked, “What did the clothes look like?”

“
I’m sure she was wearing a red zipped hoodie, white sweatpants and her white Nikes.”

“
Okay, now continue. Tell me what you saw Catherine doing.”

“
She already had her cell phone in her hand when she pulled her keys out of the basket and put them both in her pocket. She noticed me and smiled, and then she left out the front door. That’s the last time I saw her.”

“
You mentioned a cell phone and keys. What about her purse? Did she carry a purse? If so, where is it?”

“
No, she didn’t have her purse. I found it in her bedroom this morning.”

“
Mr. Thomas, we’re going to need Catherine’s purse for any bank or credit cards. We can use those to determine if there’s been any activity since she was last seen.”

“
Oh, sure. You can have the purse. No problem.”

Blake looked toward Jennifer on the other side of the one-way glass as if he could see her and nodded. That was his way of assigning her the task of getting the purse, then running any credit or bank accounts to see if either had been used recently.

“
Thanks. After we finish talking, detective Brennan will drive you and your wife back home. We appreciate you giving the purse to the detective, so she can start tracking any transactions that may have occurred.”

“
If it will help you find Catherine, you can have anything in the house.”

“
Would you mind if Detective Brennan does a walk-through of Catherine’s room?” asked Blake.

“
No, of course not.”

“
Where does Catherine usually go when she runs?”

Fred thought for a second, then said, “I think she usually runs at the high school track. Though sometimes she does run in the neighborhood.”

“
Has Catherine ever run away or disappeared before? Even for just a day or so?” Blake doubted that Catherine had run away, but it was a question he had to ask so he could rule it out.

“
No. Absolutely not. Catherine is a good kid. She calls us if she is running late or going somewhere. Always. Without fail.” Julie responded emphatically.

“
Does Catherine have a drug problem?”

Fred exploded. “You can’t be serious! Hasn’t Catherine been waiting on your table at the cafe for a couple of years? Does she look like a druggie to you?!”

“
Okay, Mr. Thomas. Calm down. I have to ask the question.”

Blake directed his next question to Julie, who was infinitely calmer than her husband.

“
How has Catherine seemed emotionally lately? Upset about anything? Any problems with her friends?”

“
No, not really. Most of her college friends are away for the summer, so the only one she really hangs out with is Nicholas Connor. I think the two are getting along. Catherine hasn’t said anything about being upset with anyone.” Julie replied.

“
So Nicolas Connor is Catherine’s boyfriend?”

“
Yes, they’ve been going together since they met in college. Fred and I think they’ll eventually marry. He’s a nice young man.”

“
Who else might have seen her yesterday?”

“
Well, she worked her shift at the Sugar Creek Cafe, so her co-workers and anyone eating there would have seen her. I think she worked until three o’clock. She didn’t come home until around five o’clock.”

“
What about Nicholas? Have you talked to him about Catherine’s whereabouts?”

“
I called him this morning, as soon as Fred told me that Catherine’s bed hadn’t been slept in. Nicholas said he talked to her at the cafe, after he got out of school around four o’clock. He’s a kindergarten teacher at the elementary school. He said that was the last time he saw Catherine.”

“
Okay. We’ll talk to Nicholas. I need you to fill out some paperwork that will ask you for very specific information that will help us find Catherine. We need her cell phone company and number; and the make, model, color and year of her car. I also need for you two to think carefully and list anyone that may know where Catherine is, because we need to talk to those people.” Blake paused and looked toward Jennifer through the one-way glass again. “Jennifer Brennan will take you home as soon as you complete the paperwork.”

“
Please find her. Catherine is our only child. She’s all we have.” Julie begged, tears dripping down her cheeks.

“
I assure you both we’ll do our best to find her.”

<><><>

Jennifer emptied Catherine
’s purse on her desk, neatly organizing and inventorying each item. There was a J.C. Penney credit card, VISA card, and a bank debit card. Armed with each account number, Jennifer’s fingers flew over her computer keyboard. She didn’t notice Blake standing in her cubicle until he cleared his throat. He startled her, and she jumped in her seat.

“
Damn it, Blake. Can’t you make a little more noise?”

He just shrugged and stared at her computer screen. “So you’re running Catherine’s cards?”

“
Yes, I ran the J.C. Penney account first. No changes since last December 23rd when Catherine was probably shopping for Christmas presents. The VISA card was used last month at a Starbucks store in the mall. The bank debit card was used to fill her car with gas yesterday at 3:10 p.m. at a Shell Gas Station on Third Street. That was the last time it was used.”

“
I got the cell phone history,” said Blake. “Her last call was at five thirty from Nicholas Connor and lasted less than one minute. The last ping from her phone to a cell tower was near Deer Run State Park one minute later. Nothing since then. It looks like she may have turned her cell off after the call from Nicholas,” said Blake.

“
Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Jennifer asked.

“
Let’s go have a talk with Nicholas.”

In the parking lot, Blake opened the passenger door of their unmarked car for Jennifer. “Let’s head over to the high school track first. Her dad said she was going running.”

Blake drove and Jennifer scouted the area on the way to the high school. It was Saturday and the March weather was warmer than usual, so there were a lot of young people about. When they reached the track, there were a number people running, but mostly jocks. No sign of Catherine.

Though they’d work together for a couple of years, it was the first time Jennifer had been alone in a car with Blake. She usually rode with her partner, Dick Mason, who was on vacation. Jennifer didn’t know if it was the subtle scent of musk and man, or the way he kept glancing at her that made her senses alert and her heart beat against her ribs. When she didn’t think he was looking, she checked Blake out. His massive shoulders filled the jacket he wore, his thigh muscles strained against his khakis.

Blake had a ruggedly handsome face and dark features that spoke volumes about his Italian heritage. The man was hot. She’d give him that. Actually, she’d give him more than that. He was the first man in five years that she was remotely attracted to. Not that she was going to do anything about it. He was a member of the same investigative team she was. No relationships allowed. Period. It was career suicide for a female in law enforcement, and there was no other job she’d rather do.

“
How do I rate?” Blake said, breaking the silence.

“
What?” She said, startled by his abrupt question.

“
You’ve been staring at me since we left the high school. So how do I rate?”

At first she froze, speechless. After a long moment, she said what usually worked in situations like this, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She focused on looking out the window so he wouldn’t see how red her face was.

They next stopped at the Sugar Creek Cafe to see if Catherine had reported for work, but no one there had seen her. The waitresses who had worked Catherine’s shift the day before were off. Jennifer and Blake would have to return the next day to interview them.

Jennifer scanned the restaurant and noticed Nicholas Connor, Catherine’s boyfriend, sitting alone in a booth. She and Blake joined him.

“
Hi, Nicholas. Good to see you,” said Blake as he waited for Jennifer to slide in the booth seat. He took off his jacket and tossed it across the back of his seat. “You’re just the guy we’re looking for.”

“
Nicholas, we’re looking for Catherine. Do you know where she is?” Jennifer studied his face. Nicholas looked surprised to see them. But why wouldn’t he be? It wasn’t like they lunched with him on a regular basis.

“
No, I haven’t seen her since Thursday afternoon. Why are you looking for Catherine?” His eyebrows rose inquiringly.

“
Her parents said she didn’t come home last night. I thought she might have been with you.”

Nicholas looked annoyed. “Catherine’s mom already called me this morning. I’ll tell you what I told her. No, we didn’t see each other last night.”

Jennifer noticed that there was no eye contact when Nicholas responded, which made her wonder if he was telling the truth. Something was off with him, but she couldn’t pinpoint what — yet. “What about yesterday afternoon?”

“
Yeah, I saw her at my house after her shift.”